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#the Sims versions give me the serotonin
victorluvsalice · 1 year
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A Gush About Valicer
So this is probably a bit of a weird post for me to make, given that it’s literally just me gushing about the weird OT3 I’ve had for less than a year, but -- it’s Thanksgiving, and I feel like it’s weirdly appropriate to start talking about a ship that I’ve grown to be very fond of over the past few months. I’m thankful that it’s in my life. So, yeah -- I’m taking this opportunity to say it --
I fuckin’ love Valicer.
I mean that. I’m the first person to say that I don’t understand how or why I got so into The Smiler coaster at Alton Towers, and I especially don’t get why I went from trying to use the roller coaster for some Valice AU funtimes straight into shipping a human/humanoid (depending on the AU) version of said coaster with Victor and Alice, but even with that. . .I just love it so much! Smiler’s been a fun coaster OC to develop through Sims and the Not-Incorrect Quotes posts and generally all the weird situations I’ve come up with for them in my head. They’re so different to Victor and Alice by being extroverted and loud and generally cheerful, and yet they love their boyfriend and his girlfriend so much and want to see them happy. . . Granted, they want to see everybody happy, but still. And Victor and Alice love them, despite their differences, and they have such a great dynamic! I really feel like Smiler brings out Victor and Alice’s more fun-loving, jokingly-feral sides (as seen in the Not-Incorrect Quotes), and it’s great. :D I love all the little variations I’ve made up for them:
-->The Sims trio, living in their haunted farmhouse: Smiler working on robots in the barn and sending out bursts of vampiric happiness, Victor tending to his plants in the greenhouse and practicing his magic, Alice painting on the porch and coming to grips with being a werewolf
-->The Modern AU with all of them in college, with them starting out just as friends and becoming more after that one awkward hypnosis session with Victor, and transitioning into a very happy polycule with a nice support network of Smiler’s friends and family and Victoria and Emily (excellent for dealing with Victor’s shitty parents)
-->The Londerland Bloodlines AU where Smiler initially looks like an antagonist, but as it turns out they’re being manipulated by their “friends” and they do have some ethics under their “I can manipulate emotions to help people be happier, so why shouldn’t I?” exterior. Smiler wanting to atone after Victor gets kidnapped just for knowing them and they see some of the horrors the Setites were visiting on the people they wanted to help, and slowly being integrated into the vampire/ghoul/zombie polycule in the process
-->The Fallout of Darkness AU where I actually lean the closest to the ride’s actual theming (with The Smiler itself being a mind control device run by an eldritch being), but even then Mar-Mal has enough ethical sense to understand that you don’t kill the people you’re trying to make happy, and enough sense of humanity to enjoy Victor and Alice’s company and want to stay in their robot form with them, and Victor and Alice go from being kind of scared of the robot run by an eldritch being to seeing it as a friend they want to stick around -- and possibly, if Mar-Mal gets a handy Gen-3 synth body at any point, friendship might become something more. . .
-->The multi-fairy-tale AU with Victoria and Emily, featuring Smiler at their Fae best, just wanting to do nice things and make fun deals with these mortals to spread some joy, and slowly being sucked into genuinely caring for them, to the point where Victor’s “death” by poisoned apple nearly breaks them; Alice going from just surviving her awful tenure in Bumby and the Tweedles’ hell-house to having actual friends and loved ones; Victor and Victoria both escaping their toxic parents and finding that a simpler life, if harder, agrees with them SO much more, and finding so much love in that life; Emily reclaiming the happiness that she used to have on land, and finding real love after Barkis tricked her with his poisonous version
-->The upcoming Holistic!AU, where Victor and Alice are practically soulmates thanks to the universe bringing them together; and then Victor falls in with Smiler and their friends thanks to being kidnapped by Kelman and finds that his social circle doesn’t have to be just Alice, that the universe will let him have more friends and more loved ones, and Smiler’s happiness sense keeps giving them mixed signals about how okay it is to kiss Victor -- until Alice finally shows up for the rescue and lets them know it’s all right, she’s willing to share (as are Victoria and Emily, who are actually starting to appreciate this mad ride)
-->The Blades In The Dark-inspired thing I’ve been poking at -- this’ll get a proper write-up at some point, but the gist of it is that, after some incidents involving Victor getting kidnapped by a ghost bride on the eve of his wedding, Alice finding out Dr. Bumby’s horrible plans for the Houndsditch orphans, and Smiler just trying to help them both out, they end up as a criminal gang focusing on stealing from the rich so they can do things like create a community greenhouse (which I appreciate isn’t QUITE how you play BitD but this is fanfic not me actually playing XD) and go from friendly acquaintances to polycule in the process
-->All the various half-formed AUs that float through my head at night -- Victorian AUs where Victor and Smiler meet thanks to Dr. Kelman dragging their “son” to a Van Dort party and end up secret lovers for a time, before either Smiler gets banished to rural Lithuania and Victor has to go through some Forgotten Vows-style shenanigans before they can get back, and Alice has to deal with the fact that this is Victor’s ex who still clearly loves him, but does that mean she has to give Victor up? (Nope, as it turns out, she doesn’t), or the two run away together to avoid Victor’s arranged marriage and end up meeting Alice in the process, and Smiler has to deal with the fact that Victor clearly thinks Alice is attractive, and she’s nice, and are they ready to share Victor with someone else? (Yup, they totally are.) Or modern AUs where Alice and Smiler were friends first, and they both meet Victor, and discover they’re both falling for him, and initially they try to be noble and push him toward each other, until finally Victor reveals he’s in love with BOTH of them and they realize that they don’t HAVE to give him up. All the different ways they can meet, and become friends, and fall in love that I can think up.
And this is getting REALLY long, and I’m not sure how coherent it is anymore. XD Just -- the point of it is, having all this strange and wonderful Valicer (and Four Victorians On A Roller Coaster) stuff has really made me happier over the past year, and I’m really glad it’s part of my life now. I love my silly little Smiler OC, and I love my ship with them and my original OTP. So I hope you guys like it too, because it’s gonna be sticking around. XD
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thylionheart · 2 years
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Have once again spent an innane amount of money on Sims 4 packs
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dandelioncore · 4 years
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!! I managed to get the Sims 2 mostly working on my laptop!!!!!!!!
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leesh · 3 years
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because i have zero self control when it comes to christmas films and, well, cheesy christmas films are #life. 
basically, i have developed a collection of favourites over the years, including both classic christmas films that are fun for the whole family and terrible, dripping with all our favourite favourite cliches hallmark christmas films, and yet i am still always on the hunt for more. so, i thought i would try a little thing to share them with everyone else as well (and actually remember them for future reference)!
check out the tag here i will try and remember to use as i live blog some of these movies or head on down below the cut to see all of the christmas films i’ve watched in 2020. thoughts and star ratings included! as expected, i will also be updating this as i watch more and more this holiday season (follow along on twitter too if you want).
note: since i LOVE terrible hallmark films, some that i give a higher rating will not actually be......critically acclaimed. i am just #obsessed and have my reasons as stated, i’m sure.
holidate (2020) 
⭐️⭐️| first time watch | someone on letterboxd compared this movie to when you watch a rom com in sims and it’s just a bunch of random scenes that make no sense and they’re absolutely right. its only saviour is an australian dude and the line “so you know me well enough to cum in my mouth, but you don’t know me well enough to get me a christmas present?”
my christmas inn (2018) 
⭐️⭐️| first time watch | i’ll be honest, this film was pretty forgetful. i watched it over a month ago and don’t really remember what happened. however, i do remember being impressed that the leading lady wasn’t a stereotypical thin white woman. so i guess at least it has that going for it.
christmas made to order (2018) 
⭐️⭐️⭐️| first time watch | i actually thought this was pretty cute. it’s not the best, but also not the worst, so a decent medium if you need to fill up those figurative christmas stockings. the concept of hiring someone to decorate your entire house with no budget sounds pretty cool, but when the guy is aaron samuels and looks far from straight, it becomes a little questionable. 
last christmas (2019) 
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️| rewatch | now this is not a cheesy hallmark film. in fact, i LOVE this film a lot and think i saw it twice at the cinema. last christmas is a top tier christmas song and i remember theorising about it when the trailer first came out, but i will say tissues may be a requirement to watch this. AND henry golding is my husband thank u and goodbye.
operation christmas drop (2020) 
⭐️| first time watch | interesting concept in theory, but this is nothing more than US military propaganda and a cgi lizard. bonus: white saviourism. 
the knight before christmas (2019) 
⭐️⭐️⭐️| rewatch | a medieval knight transported into today’s world and has never seen a car before can drive better than me. that’s it. that’s the movie. also, he literally says the words “modern technology is lit af” at one point. solid christmas film if you ask me. 
the princess switch (2018) 
⭐️⭐️⭐️| rewatch | i strongly believe in the vhcncu (vanessa hudgens christmas netflix cinematic universe). i also have so many questions, like how did they afford the flights or solid conversation or was it all expenses paid? how did they finish a bulk of the cake without a mixer? why does everyone always speak english with a posh english accent even though it’s a non-english european country?
the princess switch: switched again (2020) 
⭐️⭐️| if we learnt anything from a christmas prince, it’s that sequels are generally never better than their predecessor. that being said, this was much less cute body swapping christmas fluff and a little more literal kidnapping and saving the day. either way, blonde vanessa was hot and i appreciated the amber/richard cameo that insinuates a christmas prince is actually a dramatic documentary.
midnight at the magnolia (2020) 
⭐️⭐️| now if you’re after an absolute cheesefest that ticks the boxes on best friends meets fake dating over the holidays, then this is the movie for you! albeit it takes place between christmas and new year’s, it’s still filled with their families knowing they were soulmates the whole time and two people who are a literal too comfortable on the radio. also, the dad’s totally should’ve been gay. they had more chemistry.
christmas wonderland (2018) 
⭐️⭐️⭐️| tbh, i genuinely enjoyed this one. post breakup/high school sweethearts is a personal favourite trope of mine, so throw christmas & being forced to spend time together when she goes back home into the mix and i’ll have a serotonin explosion. bonus points for the guy telling the girl to go back to nyc to follow her dreams without being a dick. OH and the scene when he points a fuck load of sugar in his hot beverage.
a wish for christmas (2016) 
⭐️⭐️| who doesn’t love a good office romance between a boss and an employee at christmastime? especially when you throw in a little christmas magic that makes her more confident that results in her finally getting what she deserves and having to travel and rekindle with his family? also, fuck them rich white dudes, but props to her for the significant job promotion.
christmas with a prince (2018) 
⭐️| this was TERRIBLE and not in the good way. it featured: an entitled prince who suddenly had growth even though he did nothing to achieve it, majority of the film set in one hospital room, and the fact that she’s the only one with a tiara at the party filled with people who actually have titles. also, thought there was a decent ending but turns out there was still another 30 mins to go. ugh.
a royal christmas engagement (2020) 
⭐️| don’t be fooled by the title. the engagement doesn’t happen til the last two minutes. it’s actually about a prince (bet you didn’t see that one coming) who travels to america, pretending to be his best friend who works for this major marketing firm because he’s tired of being the spare. this gets one star purely for the line “she’s not a commoner, patrick. she’s an american.”
christmas wedding planning (2017)
⭐️⭐️| it looked like it would be half decent, and while it’s definitely better than the last two, it was still pretty eh. i could get on board with her texting her dead mother’s number as a way to talk to her still, and i understand we all experience grief differently, but.....actively paying your mums phone bill 3 years later? girl. also, the end made me SCREAM. WHY DID THEY DO THAT!!!!
santa girl (2019)
⭐️| this was just painful to watch. evil jack frost makes memes in his free time, santa has a fancy car and doesn’t eat sweets, and there’s an odd comparison between the elves, minimum age workers, and racism. however, one star purely for the entertaining (read: bloody awful) tooth fairy cgi that gave me a right laugh.
the christmas chronicles (2018)
⭐️⭐️⭐️| this was really cute and had the makings of what could be a christmas movie staple along with the likes of elf and the santa clause (but will never reach that standard, obvs). tbh, it’s just a nice heartwarming family christmas movie about two siblings who band together to help santa and save christmas. also, santa was a #dilf.
the christmas chronicles: part two (2020)
⭐️⭐️| one of these days i would love to see a sequel that’s better, or at least on par, with its predecessor, but that day is not today. sadly, this film lacked all the heart and magic the first one was filled with and some scenes were pretty redundant. kurt russell and goldie hawn, however... one star for each of them.
forever christmas / mr. 365 (2019)
⭐️⭐️| the title varies depending where you’re from, but that’s probably the most exciting part of this movie. a guy celebrates christmas 365 days a year and a reality show wants to invade his house? ok, sure. one star for the eye candy and one star for, surprisingly enough, their chemistry and all the kissing scenes that don’t usually make the mark in the hallmark world. 
noelle (2019)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️| did i renew disney plus just so i could watch this (and a couple of others)? maybe so... this movie is so fun! and family friendly! and is actually funny! it gives me major elf vibes, but if elf was set in a more modern day setting. either way, i had a great time and have been holding out on this one after loving it a lot last year!
the nutcracker and the four realms (2018)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️| anything nutcracker related is an instant win in my book because it’s my favourite ballet of all time (except for graeme murphy’s version, we don’t talk about that). does this movie actually deserve the four stars? maybe not. am i going to give them anyway purely for my love of the nutcracker and the soundtrack? absolutely!
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At the beginning of 2019, I mentioned I would keep track of every game I finished, and sum up my thoughts on all of them at the end of the year. And now I’m half regretting it because I’m gonna have to write out a short summary for each of these games. Oh well. You’ll be able to find all of them under the Read More, if you’re interested. Will be including an arbitrary score next to each game based on how much I enjoyed them.
Just some fun numbers before we jump in to the meat of the post- In 2019, I beat a total of 41 games. That’s an average of 3.41 games per month, which actually isn’t too bad of a rate!
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (5/5) 100% complete! Beaten twice! Without doubt, the best Smash game yet. You didn’t need me to tell you this- if you’ve got a Switch, then you’ve probably got Smash.
Bayonetta (4/5) A classic character action game, and an immense source of nostalgia for me. Play this game or I’ll break your knees.
Bayonetta 2 (4/5) I actually went into this game with low expectations, I didn’t expect to enjoy it as much as the first game. Fortunately I was stupid and wrong and ended up loving it just as much as Bayo1.
Splatoon 2 (3/5) The story wasn’t particularly the most enjoyable thing ever, although I did sink a pretty decent amount of time into the multiplayer. Still not my go-to game if I’m looking for a quick match.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (4/5) It was enjoyable, although kinda started dragging on towards the end. The side content started feeling very repetitive, especially the shrines- but it was still a genuinely great time.
DOOM (2016) (3/5) I raged a wee bit, gonna admit. Although it was fun, I had a lot of frustrations with the late game.
Cthon (3/5) Doom, but a Lovecraftian roguelike. I’d recommend picking it up on Steam, it’s only USD$4.99 regularly, and USD$1.69 during the Steam sale currently going on.
Fire Emblem: Awakening (4/5) I suck at strategy games because I’m a smoothbrain, but FE:A is totally one of the best 3DS games ever released. Lucina is my daughter and the story made me cry.
Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition (2/5) I already played the 3DS version, and went into the DE expecting it to be a bit more enjoyable- and while it was, I did find myself getting bored rather quickly.
The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind (5/5) The best TES game ever released according to many fans. While I do still prefer Skyrim more, I can see exactly why so many love it. Planning on returning to do the DLCs soon.
Night in the Woods (4/5) I hate story-centric games, but I liked NITW a lot. The exploration was nice, seeing the town change day-to-day was nice, and the ending was freaky in a good way
Warhammer: Vermintide 2 (4/5) An incredibly fun game, very similar to Left 4 Dead but fantasy themed and with rat monsters. Launched my obsession with the Skaven.
Fallout 3 (2/5) Yeah just play New Vegas instead mate.
Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag (3/5) If you separate it from the rest of the relatively mediocre AC series, Black Flag is pretty gud. I like being a pirate. I don’t like tailing missions. I really don’t like ship tailing missions.
Ib (3/5) I played this game a few times through during my obsession with RPGMaker horror games. Still holds up pretty strong, although it’s a wee bit short.
Amorous (3/5) 100% complete! Yeah it’s just a lewd furry dating sim. Does have a decent character maker that I use as a reference for my fursona now though!
Way of the Samurai 3 (4/5) I don’t know why this game slipped under everyone’s radar back on release. Just overall a very Nice samurai simulator, albeit with some combat that takes some getting used to.
Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate (5/5) The best MonHun released yet. World is great, but for some reason it just doesn’t hold me like GU does. Maybe I’m just a boomer.
Super Mario Odyssey (3/5) It’s definitely what you’d expect out of Mario. Not a bad game by any means, but I just didn’t really keep attached to it like most others seemed to.
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney (4/5) I like being a lawyer, and I love the serotonin rush that I get when cornering a criminal on their logic.
Resident Evil 7 biohazard (4/5) The first RE game I’ve played to completion. I don’t regret it at all, because it was super good. Got some great DLC as well.
SoulCalibur VI (Libra of Soul + Soul Chronicle) (4/5) Loved the character creation, loved gitting gud- did not love some of the side missions in LoS because holy Hell a lot of them are bullshit.
Borderlands 2 (4/5) I hated the first Borderlands, and went into 2 expecting more of the same. Ended up leaving surprisingly satisfied. Great loot n’ shoot all around.
Deus Ex: Game of the Year Edition (4/5) It took me a few tries to really get into this one, but once I did I was totally hooked. The ending battle could’ve used a little more love, but it was still by all means a great game.
Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines (4/5) Despite being a clearly rushed game with a drop in quality towards the last few hours, VtmB is still one of the most solid action RPGs I’ve ever played. Still not exactly gonna excuse the last couple of boss battles though.
Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc (5/5) This went from “tumblr meme game that I had no interest in” to “one of the best fucking games I have ever played, and it hurt me deeply.” I don’t think I’ve ever been so invested in a story before, and the trial system was very refreshing.
Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair (5/5) How did they make a story with twists even more mindblowing than the first game? While THH invested me into the series, GD solidified my newfound love for it.
Which (3/5) 100% complete! A very short experimental horror game by indie animator and developer Mike Inel. Not bad at all, and completely worth the free download.
Skullgirls: 2nd Encore (3/5) I never really got good at this game, although the story mode was still very enjoyable. Not particularly something I’m probably gonna be coming back to.
Hollow Knight (5/5) Absolutely spectacular Metroidvania that gives quite a unique challenge. Fell in love with this game so bad that I was constantly thinking about it at work. Please stop comparing it to Dark Souls, it’s such an amazing game on its own merit without needing that comparison.
Undertale (5/5) It’s Undertale, do you really need me to tell you how amazing it is?
Devil May Cry 3 (Dante story) (4/5) Extremely fun and challenging. If you haven’t played this game yet then you are wrong. Beating the first Vergil battle without being hit filled me with very unneeded confidence- the spectacular final battle against Vergil stripped that confidence away.
Ion Fury (3/5) Very challenging, but still super enjoyable. The heroine is a genuine badass, loved hearing her quips. The final boss was garbo though.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice (5/5) Sekiro absolutely deserved the GOTY award. Loved the combat, loved the challenge, loved everything about this beautiful game.
Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age Definitive Edition (5/5) DQXI singlehandedly changed my opinion on JRPGs. A story that’s equal parts awesome and tearjerking, combat that feels truly satisfying, and a quirky world that had me hooked for all 98+ hours.
Danganronpa Another Story: Ultra Despair Girls (4/5) While it absolutely was a good game, something about it didn’t really hold the charm that the other Danganronpa games had. The story was still superb, and the twist at the end was hooh.
Spyro the Dragon (3/5) 120% complete! The nostalgia factor drew me in, the level design kept me. Except for Tree Tops, fuck you Tree Tops.
WarioWare Gold (3/5) Packed with the best microgames from WarioWare’s history, but not enough content to keep me there past the main story mode.
Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D (3/5) MGS3 is one of my favorite games ever, but the 3DS port’s framerate issues really killed the fun for me.
Halo: Reach (4/5) The story mode was good, but the multiplayer was absolutely sublime. I raged, I cheered, I had the fun I missed out on growing up without an Xbox.
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asaltyrat · 3 years
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The Mascot Effect
If you told me that gaming would come as far as it did twenty years ago, I'd politely ask you to get out of my home and tell my dad.
I consider the 90's and 00's to be 'the Wild West' of gaming. Technology was getting cheaper for development, anyone with an IBM Computer was basically cobbling together concepts and getting cash from big name developers like Nintendo, Capcom, Sony, Microsoft and the rest of the big hitters.
You want a series that'll last? One of the defining parts of a game that will have iterations over and over again is the 'mascot effect.'
Gaming used to be a bit simpler. Run to the right, grab a star, stomp on a robot. Goals were self explanatory and these games could be completed in a few hours of game time. No one is going to go on about the lack of content that Sonic the Hedgehog or Bubble Bobble had. People scarfed up that simple design and pick up and play style. Now things are a bit more complicated with stories and romance arcs and skillpoints. But a lot of these games don't hit that world wide acclaim despite having large numbers. There's a reason why we call games like Baldur's Gate and Cave Story "Cult Classics". They didn't initially get the heavy pull that these other titans of the industry did.
Now that some of these faces are getting more known, however, we're seeing more 'mascots' appear. These heavy hitting representatives of a series that seemingly worm their way into our pop culture and the little memes and jokes we tell. I was thinking about this with the almost universal success of Mass Effect. The Mascot of that game is a customizable character, though the male and female versions of Shepard have default skins and looks to them, it's less the face and more what they stand for.
The N7 logo, the Normandy, the plot itself back up that "Mascot". It's a bit more ephemeral but people typically will recognize the Logo. Some people adore the series, have jackets with the N7 on it, have tiny pins. It's the same with Assassin's Creed, where the main characters of those games are typically rather plain looking. (Just some dude or some gal, really). No one will outright recognize Ezio without his hood. He's a generic goatee wearing everyman, albeit having an ego the size of a chapel.
I was tempted to go into this article talking about the Blue Blur, Rockman, or that Pesky Plumber, But modern mascots are a lot more interesting. If you don't know what Mario is, I'm sure someone can go ahead and give you a rundown or you can find a '10 things you didn't know' video. I'm not about that. We're talking weird and obscure faces that have succeeded making a home in our collective minds.
Without looking it up, take a second to ask yourself what a Plumbob is. You *know* what it is, but you might not know what it's called. Barely anyone calls it what it is. You got it yet? Go ahead. Second's over.
The Plumbob is that Green spinning gem that hangs above your selected sim's head. Yeah, That's what I mean. As much as we love our individual sims, The "Mascot" of the game is an inanimate object. Hell. It's less than that. It's a UI Element. But people who are in the know will vibrate out of their seats if they so much as see a hint of that weird diamond in a silhouette on an E3 con or announcement Vid. It's EA's equivalent of a Bat-Signal. See Gem, get Serotonin.
Then we see the rise of mascots that positively explode, it seems, overnight. Undertale was a hit almost from the get-go thanks to Toby Fox's previous work with the Homestuck fandom and the legendary status of the Earthbound Halloween Hack. It helped that the OST was a massive banger and the characters were lovable in their own ways. We all hugged that goat!
But then we blinked and suddenly Nintendo is interested in the Series, It's coming to the Switch, It's getting various ports online. Toby Fox is making a not-so-sequel. Another blink and a big-name wrestler is coming out on stage dressed as Sans with Megalovania playing in the background. What happened? Why the star power?
That's really just the science of a good mascot. Developers don't have a say in what people latch onto, and when they do it's very sink or swim. From Mario to the N7 logo? I couldn't tell you what exactly makes these people, places and things as timeless as they are, but it's there, and we're going to see more and more as time goes by.
Gaming is going nowhere, and neither are the faces behind it.
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